We have been home for 5 days....

We have been home for 5 days and it has been both relaxing and stressful. Monday morning(July 19th) we called our insurance company to try to figure out where we could go to have Braden work with a physical therapist. The closest place is about 45-60 minutes away and both Ian and I were worried because of Braden's comfort or lack thereof in the car for long periods of time. So we worked through the process of getting referrals, etc from Braden's pediatrician and finally got an appointment for today(July 21st) at 4pm for physical therapy. Ian and I have been diligently working with Braden on stretching, flexing and massaging his legs and walking with our assistance. Other than that we have been relaxing and spending alot of time watching movies and cartoons.

Braden continues to gain strength and his appetite is slowly returning. I just wish he could walk because that is what is truly holding him back. I know it will come but I truly want him to be able to enjoy what is left of his summer. It has been 2 weeks today since his surgery and Ian and I are back to work. Ian returned to work yesterday and will be working Tues-Fri 10 hour days and I will be working at the hospital Fri, Sat and Sun 7p-7a. This will allow both Ian and I to be home with Braden all the time.

Continued prayers would be appreciated and once again, Thank you all who have been such amazing support to us throughtout this difficult time in our lives.

On our way home....

So we left the hospital at about 430pm and the plan was for Braden and Daddy to ride in the backseat of our car and for mommy to drive. We got Braden situated and we were headed home. After about 15 minutes, Braden was not comfortable and luckily Nana and Papa were heading back to Mansfield with us and we made a stop to get gas and Braden rode in Nana and Papa's van so he could recline in the seat and Daddy drove the van and Papa was also in there and Nana joined Mommy. The drive home went farely quickly but I did make several phone calls to Ian to check on my lil man and he was nice and comfy and asleep.

Once we got home, we were greeted by all of the neighborhood kids. My best friend, Crystal and her kids as well. It was so cute, Crystal's daughter Sarah sent me a text no more than 5 minutes after we left the hospital asking if we were in Ohio yet, so when we were about 15 mintues away from home, I sent her a message.

So, as we pulled into the driveway all of the kids came around and said hi to Braden and we got him inside. Once inside, Braden was smiling and talking with Sarah and Hunter. It was soooo good to see him smile.

Nana and Papa stayed with us for the night and we worked with Braden on walking as he is still having trouble and the plan was to relax, unpack and continue to work with Braden all weekend and schedule Physical Therapy on Monday morning.

We are soooooo happy to be home and once again thank each and every one of you who have said prayers, sent well wishes, taken care of our home and been soo generous to us throughout this most difficult time in our lives.

THE RESULTS.....Finally

So Friday, July 16th would be a wonderful day, but we did not know that as the sun rose. Ian and I had both slept at the hospital and Nana and Papa were back at the hotel. We thought that we would get word early in the morning so Ian and I both took turns to return to the hotel and shower and pack up a few things as we anticipated being discharged if everything was looking good. When we both were finally back at the hospital there were preliminary results relayed to us via a Resident, but still no word from Dr. Stanley who ultimately has the final word and decision. In the mean time we were prepared for discharge with prescriptions, instructions and questions answered, but we knew that until we got the word from Dr. Stanley this was only heresay.

At about 4pm, we finally saw Dr. Stanley and he reviewed with us Before and after Pictures and the results of the angiogram. All looked well and Dr. Stanley feels comfortable and confident with the work that was done and the improvement in Braden's blood pressures already. We would be going home on Blood pressure medication with the hopes that it could be weaned off eventually. This is not uncommon in someone who has had the extensive surgery and revascularization that Braden did.

Once we saw Dr. Stanley we were quickly discharged and left the hospital at about 430pm.

Angiogram and the final results

So on Thursday, July 15th we were scheduled for an angiogram which is a test where they puncture the femoral(groin) artery and are able to insert a very small camera and advance the camera to look at blood vessels and blood flow..it is very similar to a heart cath however with Braden they were looking at his abdominal aorta and his only kidney's blood flow and new connections. The procedure was scheduled at 0830 in the morning and Braden had to be NPO(nothing by mouth) after midnight..so needless to say when Braden woke up in the morning his first statement was " I am SOOO hungry" To Ian and I this was music to our ears because it was the first day where Braden seemed to be hungry and wanted food since his surgery day. So as 0830 approached we continued to prep Braden for the procedure and reinterate to him that they just needed to take pictures. Braden did require anesthesia for the procedure due to the importance of remaining incredibly still. 0900 came and went and then finally at 0930 we were taken to the angiography suite and Braden was given medication to help him relax and then fell asleep for the procedure. Ian and I then left the procedure room and went back to wait in the Pediatric Surgery waiting room otherwise known as "Big Bird" and we waited and waited and waited. We were told that the procedure could take 20 minutes to 2 hours...At about 1100 we were approached and taken to the PACU(post anesthesia care unit) where Braden was recovering. We were told that Dr. Stanley (Braden's surgeon) needed to review the images that were taken and would talk to us later due to the fact that Dr. Stanley was completing another Major surgery, so we did not know when he would be talking with us. Braden was then taken to his room on the 6th floor to recover further and the afternoon was sure to be interesting.

Braden was required to lay completely flat and still for 6 hours following the procedure which meant for another 5 hours we would be reminding Braden to remain flat and still...hard for an adult to do and even harder for a 6 year old to do. But he did it and we were very proud of him. At 500pm Braden was able to sit up and move about freely. Ian and I continued to wait and wait and wait to see if we would get any word on how everything looked from the angiogram. At about 10pm we were both exhausted and decided to stay at the hospital just in case Dr. Stanley was to come in early to talk with us...It was another uneventful night and we got a few good hours of sleep......

We are soooo close to going home.

So, we have been on the stepdown unit for about 1 1/2 days now and Braden is progressing and we can see the end in site. So for the last couple of days the doctors and nurses have been monitoring Braden's intake and output very closely to make sure they he is taking in enough fluids and also getting rid of enough and that his kidney is functioning properly. One of the doctors(ie med student/resident) that has been following Braden is named Andrew and his has been sooooo patient with Braden and very attentive to our needs as his parents. When we first got to step down we found that Braden still had a suture in his neck from where the Central Line was so Andrew had to remove it and Braden was so brave throughout the entire process. In stepdown there is only room for one parent to stay at the bedside so the first night I decided to and Ian went back to the hotel to sleep for the night. And needless to say my night of sleep was minimal as the area to Sleep in about 3 feet wide and I woke up with such a sore back. So Ian arrived at about 7am and I headed back to the hotel to shower and take a mini nap. Well, my mini nap turned into a 5 hour nap which was much needed. This was the first amount of solid sleep more than 1 hour that I got since admission. After I woke up, I ordered food for Ian and I and headed back to the hospital. When I arrived, Braden was down to only 1 IV and not on any fluids. They were trying to maintain the IV site bc he has to have a procedure called an angiogram before going home and will need the IV for sedation. So, we just relaxed, watched TV and played games for the rest of the night. On Tuesday night, I decided to go back to the hotel to sleep and Ian would stay at the hospital. At first I was very apprehensive to not stay with Braden but I knew that Ian would take EXCELLENT care of Braden and would let me know for any reason if they needed me back at the hospital. I awoke on Wednesday morning and prepared to go back to the hospital and got an update from Ian. I had learned that throughout the night, Braden had slept on his stomach for some of the night and inadvertantly pulled out his remaining IV, but they were going to allow him to remain without one until about 8pm on Wednesday. Braden has continued over these last 2 days to work with Physical therapy due to his muscle contractures and is making steady improvement but we still have some work to do. We are now just waiting for Nana and Papa to arrive to spend some time with Braden.

So, what is in store for the next couple of days. Tomorrow morning at about 0830 Braden will have an angiogram to take a look at all of his vessels and have to remain on IV fluid and hydration for about 6 hours after that because of the dye that is used during the procedure and the word right now is that on Friday morning as long as their are no complications we will be discharged home, which is music to our ears.

Once again, thank you for all the thoughts, prayers and encouragement. It means so much to us! Love to all who read.

We Remember...and will never forget!

Many of you may know that Ian, Braden and myself have endured a loss beyond our telling..Today would have been the due date of our angel baby and As I sit here and think about what today would have been I can't help but know that Braden has had a special angel looking out for him throughout this entire hospitalization.

I have not been able to find the words until now to express to a handful of individuals (and you know who you are) how much our life has been touched with the constant outpouring of love and support which has made this journey just a little easier on all of us.

To our precious angel baby that we would have met today! Caeton James we love you to the moon and back! God gave us a high honor that many will never know, for just on some people this honor is bestowed. We are a mother and father of an angel that lives with God above; God's told you all about us, so you know how much you are loved. We knew that you were special from the very start, a priceless little cherub, always part of mommy and daddy's heart. But Jesus saw an angel as he looked down below. He made us an angel's parents when he gave you your halo. And though we miss you, we know you are safe with him forever, and we are looking forward to the day when we will spread our wings together.

Exhaustion and Frustration have officially set in!

Well...today has been VERy eventful for Braden and he is definately frustrated with this entire process. The morning began like all the rest, however our night was not as good. This was the first night that Braden did not respond well to the nurse that was assigned to us. His frustration and cooperation with all the different things he was asked to do led to meltdowns and I felt horrible because I know things could be sooooo much different if the right person interacts with Braden. Keeping with the schedule he has been having he awoke at 0330 in the morning and desired once again to watch cartoons...so that is what we did...thank goodness for nick jr and the disney channel. At about 530am his nurse came in and she made us aware that they needed to start ANOTHER IV because they wanted to get the IJ central line out. Of course he was not happy probably because it was 0530 in the morning and he was beginning to get tired, but we attempted anyway. So, 2 attempts later and alot of positive reinforcements we finally got a good working IV. So now we just had to wait for the Doctors to round to discuss the plan of care. Once the doctors rounded the decision was made that the foley catheter and Central line were going to be removed and Physical therapy was also going to work aggressively with Braden to help with his mobility. As well as Braden is able to advance his diet as tolerated. Also, we were going to be moved from PICU(Pediatric Intensive Care unit) to the stepdown unit. We just had to wait for a bed opening. Physical therapy came and worked with Braden massaging and stretching his legs to help release the muscles from the contracted state they are in. Even so, Braden is in so much pain when he stands and can only be on his tip toes to move around and that is even difficult so needless to say we will probably be continueing physical therapy even when we go home for some time. :( Throughout the day Braden did not have hardly any interest in eating and just sipped on some gatorade and hawaiian punch and had a couple of bites of chocolate ice cream. At about 500pm a bed finally came available and we prepared to be transferred. Before our transfer the doctors came in to remove the central line and this too was a struggle because it is actually stitched into Braden's neck and the stitches need to be cut to be removed and he was petrified that they were going to cut his neck..Poor baby :( I felt so helpless as did Ian because we are just ready to take our "punky" home and enjoyed what will be left of our summer. We finally succeeded in getting the line out and prepared to transfer Braden to the 5th floor stepdown unit. As we were leaving, Braden's surgeon Dr.Stanley came to see Braden and is estimating that we will be going home in about 3 days after Braden has an angiogram to look at all of his vasculature to make sure all is working well and there are no blockages or complications with the surgery. So the angiogram is scheduled for July 15th....So maybe just maybe we will be home on the 16th or 17th!!!! YEAH! So we were wheeled to the floor by our most favorite nurse "Jess" and got to our new room and got settled in. We were sad to say "bye" to jess as she was AMAZING with Braden and had so much patience and compassion for him and he really took to her. Once we were settled in, we were able to figure out what Braden was hungry for and he finally ate Pizza and chocolate milk. And said "MMMM that is soooo good!!!" After eating Braden was tucked into bed and fell fast asleep. So that is where we are at now....just seeing how he progresses and waiting until the 15th.

We thank you once again for all of the love, support and encouragement. We REALLY could not have made it without all of your kind words and prayers. We love you all!

Day 5 & 6...Recovery is moving forward

Where we left off....last night was pretty uneventful for the most part.....The evening started with Braden's blood pressure steadily increasing to the 140-150's/ 80's. As a result of this they started Braden on Hydralazine. He has had this medication before(last year when he was first diagnosed) and had a few reactions to it, but it could not be determined as an allergy...Soon after they gave him the hydralazine to try to control his BP he became flushed, restless and very agitated and it did not give the results that the Doctors wanted, so after some discussion Braden was restarted on Nicardipine IV and they have determined he has an allergy to hydralazine. They also tried 5 times to start 2 more IV's with no success, they are wanting to get the Central line in his neck out because of the increase risk of infection, but with no success after 5 sticks I had to step in and say it was time to get a break. About midway through the night Braden's urine output substantially increased and the swelling in his legs got a little bit better. The Nicardipine helped his blood pressure and we were able to rest thereafter. At about 3am, Braden woke up and was wide awake. I tried to convince him to go back to bed, but he wasnt in the mood to sleep as he told me :), rather he wanted to watch cartoon. (thank goodness for the disney channel) So that is just what we did. Finally at about 6am, he decided he would go back to bed. Early in the morning the Vasscular doctors came around and saw Braden and were VERY impressed with his progress. Even though his BP is still slightly elevated this is to be somewhat expected because the body has yet to get acquainted to the new rerouted vasculature, so they are not overly concerned but want to keep his bp's under 130/70. They also started Braden on a Clonidine patch which slowly releases medication to help decrease blood pressure over a period of 7 days. The vascular team was suggesting to remove the NG tube and transition his pain control method from an epidural to a PCA pump with morphine and to also allow him to take clcear liquids. We also need to get him up and moving about to help decrease the swelling in his legs. So at this point the Vasscular team had to run by their recommendations with the actual surgeon who performed the surgery and then the PICU team and a conclusion would be made. Now we just waited for the PICU team to round. The PICU team rounded and the recommendations made by the vascular team were also agreed upon with the PICU team and we just had to wait to hear from Dr. Stanley(the surgeon) to give the final ok.......and he did. So......first the NG tube came out of Braden's nose and he was quick to drink some apple juice...then we transitioned his pain control and he also was able to dangle and hesitantly stand at the side of the bed and then daddy picked him up and they cuddled in the chair for about 4 hours. At this point I was able to go back to the hotel and freshen up and run to the store( Target of course :) for a few things we needed. When I returned to the hospital we got Braden back to bed however he was having much difficulty standing and walking due to the swelling and tightness in his lower legs, so we are trying to work with him and his movement but he is not having it so we will be working with physical therapy in the morning to help with his mobility. Other than these milestones we are still in the ICU and just waiting. Braden is continuing to get more strength day by day and he is just amazing to watch his strength and courage!

We continue to rejoice in the smallest of accomplishments and will continue to keep everyone updated.

Love to all who read!

Braden's Surgery Day 4 & 5

Hello all...Well the adventures of Recovery have been interesting to say the least. Sorry I am behind on the posts but Braden has been wanting ALOT of Mommy and Daddy time and of course he can have as much as he needs! So since the last post alot has occurred. Throughout the night on Thursday night Braden had many things challenge his body. To start off he started have bowel movements which at first we thought was "Oh good, things are working" However, after a night of them along with the presence of a mild fever and tachycardia(fast heartrate) they did a few things including blood, urine and stool cultures. He also was decreasing the amount of oxygen in his blood and required a small amount of oxygen via nasal cannula while asleep. So the results of things were interesting...Braden has what is called C.Diff. The doctors are pretty sure due to the fact that we are only 2 days out of surgery that this could potentially be a result of when Braden was hospitalized and on the antibiotics from his peritonsillor abscess in late may/early june and when he was in surgery and given antibiotics his gut just didnt like that. His blood and urine cultures up to this point have shown no growth(which is good). Braden also had a chest xray to rule out the presence of pneumonia due to his inability to keep his oxygen levels up. What was found was atelectasis(lack of gas exchange of the alveoli in the lungs due to fluid consolidation) and a mild pleural effusion(excess fluid that accumulates in the fluid filled space around the lung. excessive amounts of fluid can impair breathing by limiting the expansion of the lungs when taking a breath in). So the biggest thing is working with Braden to cough/deep breath and clear his lungs. We are attempting to do this by blowing bubbles and using what is called an incentive spirometer. He was also starting on the Nicardipine drip which throughout the night on Thursday he was weaned off of because his blood pressures were at a "boring" level as the Dr stated. All I can say is I will take boring :) So Friday morning started off farely descently and again the Dr's rounded on Braden and we were involved in these rounds to help develop his plan of care. Throughout the day, Braden was more awake and alert and began moving around in bed on his own. He did such a good job with his deep breathing/ Coughing and blowing bubbles that the oxygen was able to be weaned as well. One of our bigger obstacles and concerns is with the swelling Braden has in his lower extremeties. He is SOOOO puffy it is hard for him to even move his legs, but as determined as he is, he does it and without complaints. We had the vascular doctors come and evaluate his legs as well because they were cool to touch and we wanted to make sure their was no obstruction. After evaluation by the vascular team, they are reassuring us that the swelling will go down and it is from the amount of fluid he has been given for surgery and since then. Braden's blood pressures remained labile throughout the afternoon and evening on Friday as well and also his oxygen levels were Great. Friday night was uneventful and Braden was able to get a great deal of rest and relaxation. He even woke up at 3am and wanted to watch cartoons, so that is what we did for about 3 hours! At 600 this morning Braden wanted to get out of bed and that is just what he did. He was able to sit on the side of the bed and dangle his feet and stand. Standing was a big challenge because the amount of swelling in his legs have caused them to be very tight and uncomfortable so he could not bear weight for a great deal of time....but I was so proud of him. He then was able to sit in the chair and we reclined and cuddled for almost 4 hours this morning. He watched cartoons for some of the time and also slept. This was a very surreal moment for me as I had distinct memories to the day I was able to hold him for the first time when he was in the NICU and 17 days old. Finally, I was able to feel not so helpless and like his mommy, comforting him and telling him how proud daddy and I are of him. We thoroughly enjoyed our cuddle time and at about 10am we got back in bed. At this point Mommy headed back to the hotel to shower and do some laundry and Daddy was on Braden duty! While at the hotel, the dr's did rounds and some changes have been made to Braden's plan of care. They are going to take out the IV he has in his neck(it is called and IJ) this is a central line which is VERY useful as labs can be drawn off of it, mutiple medications can be administered at the same time. However, it is a BIG infection risk. So unfortunately this will be removed but 2 more peripheral IV's will be placed. Also, they had to advance Braden's nasogastric(NG) tube because it was not far enough in and was causing irritation. So needless to say this also wasn't so pleasant for Braden because it can make you gag(and Braden has a very sensitive gag reflex) Also, it was reported to us that the C.Diff has drastically reduced and his White blood cell count dropped drastically too from 18.4 to 12.7. They also reduced the rate of his pain control medication to attempt to wean him off of that and progress to IV pain meds. All of this information Ian relayed to me while I was at the hotel. So I went back to the hospital to allow Ian to return to the hotel to shower etc and upon returning Braden's BP's are a tad bit higher than they were and the doctors are deciding if they want to restart the Nicardipine drip again to decrease them...the were running 100-110/40-60's and now they are 130's/70's. So we will see what they decide. Right now Braden is napping and I just continue to look at him with utter amazement. It is amazing to see your 6 year old grow up so quickly and most things he is having to endure, we as adults would not come anywhere close to tolerating what he is!

Again, Ian and I would like to thank our family, friends and coworkers for your amazing support, encouragement, generosity, and prayers. We definately feel your love and will forever be grateful.

Pain control..fluid balance and sleepiness

So today we hit the 24 hours post-op mark and wow what a day it has been. This morning began with mommy going back to our hotel and getting ready for the day and to pick up a surprise for Braden from his "goodie bag" When mommy returned to the PICU the dr's and nurses' were "rounding" on Braden. This means they are talking about Braden and his progress and dicussing his plan of care with us. It was amazing because Ian and I were asked to join in on the rounds and ask questions as appropriate. Overall, the doctors were please with how Braden did overnight there were only a few concerns regarding his urine output and Blood Pressure control. Over the next few hours the solutions were to give Braden a bolus of fluid to help his hydration and also to start a medication call Nicardipine which helps decrease BP. This is a common occurance following the Renal Revascularization surgeries and when I asked the doctor where he would rank Braden his response was " this is all normal" the nurse taking care of him (whom again is amazing) also agreed and reassured us that he was following the path that most other patients do. So as the day progressed Braden's pain became more intense and the decision was made to increase the medication in his epidural. The incision that Braden has on his abdomen looks like and upside down T and when looking at it he had significant pain and was VERY guarded on the upper right and left sides of the incision. Once the dose was increased his pain seemed more under control however he became very sleepy and groggy. Braden's biggest frustration is that we cannot give him ANYTHING by mouth. And he keeps saying he is sooooo hungry and thirsty. My poor baby!!!!Once shift change rolled around we were blessed to have our favorite nurse thus far "jess" back. She did her initial assessment and discussed with us how groggy and sleepy he was and we consulted the pain management nurse and anesthesiologist to reevaluate things because his oxygen saturation was slightly lower than it had been which could be a result of how sleepy he is. So we are now going to decrease his rate of the epidural and give him tylenol as needed for additional pain. Also we are trying to wean him off his BP medication and see what his body will do on its own. Other than these adventures, we were able to share some time with my mom and dad as well as my cousin Jane today. So tonight our goal is for all of us to get rest and move forward as much as possible in his recovery. Overall, today was a good day. I am optimistic that our days here will become better with time.

Braden Surgery Day 3

Well....thank goodness surgery day is over. Yesterday at about 330pm we were sitting in the waiting room and in walks Braden's surgeon. For a moment my heart dropped and I didn't know what to think because the last update we received about and hour and a half prior that they were about 1/2 way done. Although I had a brief moment of panic we sat with Dr. Stanley(the surgeon) and discussed Braden's surgery. Dr. Stanley was VERY pleased with the surgical results and all went smoothly with minimal blood loss and no complications and Braden's vital signs remained very stable throughout the entire surgery. Dr. Stanley was impressed by Braden's functioning kidney and how well it responded to all the stress of the surgery and it regained adequate blood flow following the grafting and restructuring of the kidney. Although going into surgery we thought that Braden had a "nub" of a left kidney in actuality he does not have a left kidney. So Braden has a functioning right kidney that the arteries going from his abdominal aorta were repaired and the stenotic(or narrowed) part of his abdominal aorta was grafted with a teflon graft. In the future Braden will need antibiotics prior to any dental appointment or doctor visit with procedures, but overall things look optimistic. Dr. Stanley is concerned with Braden's bowel activity due to the amount of movement and manipulation of the bowel during surgery. So he is NPO(which means cannot have anything by mouth) until his bowel sounds are active.

So following surgery we went up to the PICU(Pediatric Intensive Care Unit) waiting area and were quickly brought back to see Braden. He looked awesome compared to what we had prepared ourselves for. His face was puffy and he was pale but that is to be expected after major surgery like he had. He was very groggy and sleepy so we had some family time, just Braden, Ian and I. Then my parents and cousin Jane came in to see Braden and visit. Braden was so cute...as we each told him we loved him he smiled and said I love you too! SO SWEET! So we settled in for the night and mommy stayed with Braden and Daddy went back to our hotel to get some things and then returned to the hospital. The accomodations at the hospital are that one parent is able to stay at the bedside and the other is able to sleep in the waiting room. So Mommy stayed at Braden's bedside and daddy slept in the waiting room. Throughout the night Braden became more awake and aware and started to have pain :( He has an epidural in his back for pain control and the Nurses (whom by the way are phenominal) gave him a little bit extra to help with the pain. I (Mommy) was able to sleep off and on and at about 330 am I awoke to Braden calling my name. Braden had an NG(nasogastric tube) in his nose which goes to his stomach to empty his stomach of bile and other stuff so his intestines are given time to rest and recover. Well....he had woke up and was more alert than prior and didnt really understand what he had in his nose and pulled it out...so we had to reinsert another NG(which by the way is not a comfortable process at ALL!) and he was such a TROOPER and the nurses got it on the first try! So after this ordeal, Braden wanted Daddy and I went to get Ian in the waiting room and now Ian and Braden are resting.

Ian and I cannot express our heartfelt gratitude for the thoughts, prayers, kindness and generosity of all of our friends and family! We fill truly blessed by all of the love and concern that has been expressed for Braden. We still have a LONG journey ahead of us and continued prayers for fast and an uncomplicated recovery would be much appreciated.

Love to all who are reading this!

Day 2-Surgery Day

So here we are at this moment sitting in the waiting room as my lil man is in the operatibg room. This day has been one of the hardest and most emotional days of my life...although I do have the reassurance in my heart that I have 2 very important people in heaven that are keeping watch over my lil man...My grandma and our angel baby! I know there are so many people praying and thinking of Braden and Ian and I are and will forever be so grateful. The day started for us with lab work at 600 this morning and a visit from my parents and my cousin. Then at about 650am our "taxi" came to take us down to the pre-op holding area. Braden sat on daddy's lap in the wheelchair and I held his hand walking beside him as we made our way. Once we got to pre-op holding Braden became very emotional...Daddy and I tried to lighten the mood a bit and we said a few knock knock jokes which always makes Braden laugh! Then the child life department came and gave us a fishing game to play to pass a little bit of time. Braden played really well and won each game. then the anesthesia team and nurses that would be taking care of Braden came in to talk to us...They gave Braden Versed(a medicine to help him relax) the first dose was 2 mg and made Braden giggly! It was so cute....but it didnt last for long because he didnt calm down and relax....so they gave him another 2mg of Versed! At this point, it was time to go to the OR. Braden is daddy's boy and in that fashion he wanted daddy to go with him(only one parent was allowed to go) So I held my lil man and gave him hugs and kisses and he went in daddy's arms to the OR...this was at 0733! So Ian was gone about 5 minutes...Braden had gone to sleep and the dr's and anethesia team were preparing for all of his lines to be placed. Ian and I then went to the surgery waiting room to wait.....and wait......and wait......at 0913 we received notification that the surgery had started and the incision was made. I can't stop thinking about my lil man! He is our everything and we cannot wait until this ordeal can be put behind us and we can begin a new chapter in our lives....Thank you again for all the love, support and prayers.

Braden's Surgery-Day One

So today we were admitted to The University of Michigan-Mott's Children's hospital. We arrived here at 12:30 and just did the basic stuff...vitals, assessment and paperwork. We realized once we arrived to the hospital that we had misplaced Braden's "favorite ELMO" and if you know Braden you know he does not do anything or go anywhere without that ELMO! We had stopped to eat lunch prior to the admission and that is where ELMO was left at....So Ian had to run back to retrieve ELMO and delivered it to Mr.Braden. The doctors who will be following Braden throughout his hospital stay were in to see him...and orders were received for a clear liquid diet, IV, and a bowel prep! All of which Braden was not thrilled with. After 2 unsuccessful IV attempts...third time was a charm and the IV went in very smoothly and Braden was such a trooper....and was saying knock, knock jokes with the nurses! Then came the bowel prep....we mixed it with sprite and Braden took it right down like a champ! And then we started in on the clear liquid diet...and he has consumed 5...yes 5 bowls of jello! We are now cuddling and watching Disney Channel cartoons. Surgery will begin tomorrow morning at 0730am. Love to all who read! More updates to come!